REUSE
GIVE CLOTHES A SECOND LIFE
After your garment has lived a long and productive life, it inevitably comes time to say goodbye. Instead of sending it to landfill, why not give it a second use? Recycle it, upcycle it, give it away, sell it — the possibilities are endless.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Start a habit. When you buy one item of clothing, give away one item you don’t want to a friend. Giving away clothes keeps clothes in circulation — plus, your friends won’t need to buy anything new.
Recycle old clothes. Give clothes you no longer wear to a reputable textile recycling programme. Even though ~95% of discarded clothing can be recycled, nearly 73% of it ends up being burnt or in landfill.
Get creative. Use your creativity to breathe new life into old clothes. Customisation is a fun way to create something unique and one of a kind — plus it’s a fast growing fashion trend.
Find a partner-in-crime. With a great tailor, the possibilities for fashion customisation and repair are endless! Plus, you are helping to preserve the craft of tailoring.
Sell your stuff. Make some cash off gently worn items by selling on consignment or an online platform. Reselling a cotton T-shirt secondhand — versus throwing it away — reduces its carbon impact by 14%.
MORE RESOURCES
- Upcycling Clothes: 7 Creative Ways to Repurpose Your Old Clothes [Article] – Trying to be more conscious about what and how much you are buying is good—only purchasing sustainable clothing is even better.
- 58 New Clothing Upcycle Ideas To Jumpstart 2021! [Video] – Here’s the most upcycle inspiration you’ll ever get in one video! 58 new ways to remake your old clothes for beginners all the way to expert sewists.
- Loved Clothes Last: 3 Simple Tricks to Mend Your Clothes and Why It Matters [Article] – The following 3 simple tricks to mend your clothes are about prolonging the life of our clothes, but they are also about challenging ourselves to think of imperfections as opportunities.
- 5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Clothing Swap [Article] – If you love thrift shopping or are looking for a budget-friendly, environmentally conscious way to update your wardrobe, why not plan a clothing swap of your own? Read on to discover five ways you can make the most of your clothing swap too!
- 8 Places To Sell Your Used Clothing & Accessories Online [Article] – Feeling the urge to clean out your closet? Have some vintage items, baby clothes, or worn-once formal dresses you’re looking to rehome? Why not make some extra cash for your once-loved apparel by reselling your used clothing online!
- Recycling in the Amsterdam Area [Resource] — Curious what the textile recycling set-up in Amsterdam is? This overview from the city government explains how to properly sort and recycle your textile waste. (Tip: Fashion for Good also has a clothes recycling bin on-site.)
- Maarktplaats, eBay, Etsy and Vinted [Tools] — Just a few of the online platforms where you can sell gently worn clothes.